Dental implants have existed for many years and have become the gold standard of dentistry. A clinician may recommend dental implants as a suggested method of replacing teeth.
An example of a standard procedure of placing and restoring dental implants consists of several stages. Initially, the procedure starts with the creation of an osteotomy or hole in the jaw bone. A titanium metal root analogue is then placed in the hole. A healing cap or a screw top is then coupled to the dental implant and 6-12 weeks is allowed to pass to permit osseointegration. During this period, a temporary partial denture is usually placed over the healing cap and dental implant. Following this period, the healing cap is removed and dental impressions are taken. The healing cap is then replaced over the dental implant for an additional 2-3 weeks after which the healing cap is removed. An abutment serving as the framework for a dental prosthesis is then permanently screwed onto the dental implant. During the final restoration, a permanent dental prosthesis is then cemented onto the abutment.
A typical healing cap is one component of a dental implant. The healing cap allows for a seal around the dental implant and prevents bacteria from entering around the dental implant. The healing cap may have a polished surface, which allows for the optimum healing of soft tissues surrounding the dental implant. This ultimately allows for maximum aesthetics.
The acceptance of dental implants has been hindered by many factors. Some of these may be due to complexity of the surgery and prosthetic phases, as well as the confusion associated with numerous components of dental implant systems. Patients may have difficulty with the cost of the dental implant treatment and/or avoid dental implant treatment to avoid the burden of having a temporary partial denture. Other than inconvenience, the temporary partial denture themselves may be the cause of several concerns and problems. Patients tend to have psychological issues associated with the implants and the temporary partial denture. For example, some issues comprise gagging, speech impediment, reduced aesthetics, and removability. In addition, food collection is commonly observed in these procedures which can cause infection and tissue inflammation.
Recent studies have indicated that a majority of dental implants can be introduced immediately; patients can have a dental implant surgically placed and a dental prosthesis restored for immediate function. An immediate restoration will guide the healing of the tissues and minimize the recession of the gum as well as maximize the aesthetic potential of the dental implant. An immediate restoration would also eliminate the need for the temporary partial denture. This potentially eliminates patient related psychological issues that may be associated with food collection and inflammation. The healing of soft tissue is also maximized based on this implant technique. Furthermore, because fewer reagents and steps are contemplated, there is an overall cost reduction of the dental implant procedure.
Straumann (Straumann Canada Ltd.) produces an abutment that can be placed onto a suitable dental implant. The abutment is called the RN synOcta® temporary meso abutment (RN abutment). The RN abutment has an acrylic extension that can be drilled and shaped to act as an abutment or fake tooth framework. Once the RN abutment has been shaped, it can now accept a crown as a temporary prosthesis. However, this design suffers many drawbacks. First, the RN abutment must be sandblasted or bonded for the crown or temporary dental prosthesis to adhere. Once the crown has been cemented, it cannot be removed from the RN abutment without causing some damage to the abutment or the crown. Furthermore, the RN abutment prevents the clinician from viewing the interface between the dental implant and healing cap to determine if a good seal has been achieved for the dental implant to osseointegrate. Without direct visual confirmation of the seating of the RN abutment, the clinician is left with the concern of whether or not the RN abutment has indeed been seated properly. Failure to adequately view the seating may compromise the success of the osseointegration of the dental implant. Moreover, the acrylic extension of the RN abutment is very difficult to shape. Drills often become clogged with the material as the material is rather wax-like. Therefore, it is melted into shape instead of ground into shape. Shaping of the acrylic extension tends to be timely, costly, and in some instances frustrating. In addition, the acrylic shaping must be done outside of the mouth to prevent contamination of the surgical site. Once the crown has been fabricated, a hole must be strategically placed in the crown for the tightening wrench to fit. After the crown has been placed and tightened, the screw hole must now be covered with another dental material. This step again adds time and cost. Lastly, the RN abutment itself is costly, adding to the already high cost of acquiring a dental implant.
It is apparent, therefore, that there is a need for a dental prosthesis abutment system that obviates or mitigates at least one of the disadvantages of prior art systems.